Page 3 | Do you think there is more to this new strain than they are letting on...

Zara50 · 2020-12-22T22:51:27+00:00

...and if so, what? My mind is fried.

QueenStromba · 23/12/2020 04:35

They're underplaying the likely effect on the vaccines. They say it will probably still work while neglecting to mention the probable large drop in efficacy. Pfizer are going to take six weeks to produce a version for the new strain and they'll likely want to revaccinate.at least the higher risk groups. The Oxford vaccine will probably need to be held back until they add the new strain to the existing vaccine because they can't reuse the same viral vector in people who've already been vaccinated as antibodies against the vector will prevent the spike protein from being produced.

ktp100 · 23/12/2020 04:44

I don't think they're hiding anything, I think the panic indicates just how much more transmissable it is.

I think they're worried about the potential for an absolute firestorm of the new strain after Xmas and what they could mean for the NHS and I'm sure they're not looking forward to letting us all know just how much more careful we're going to have to be now.

Doesn't look like 2m of space & a face mask is going to cut it anymore.

3asAbird · 23/12/2020 04:56

There was a strain in Houston texts they said had got better at by passing existing measures

Washing hands, masks and spaces.
No one gives enough space in supermarkets.
Mask compliance still patchy.

Schools and kids massive issue as no mitigation as all so no wonder it spread in schools.
Really don't want mine back in jan.

nypost.com/2020/09/24/covid-19-mutation-may-be-evolving-to-bypass-masks-hand-washing/

wildraisins · 23/12/2020 04:57

No and I don't think it helps to start threads like this which cast doubt and cause unnecessary extra worry

Bluntness100 · 23/12/2020 05:04

I think there is some hysteria on here. There is no indication children are becoming any sicker than just a common cold type symptoms. If there was and we were seeing healthy children being hospitalised we would know and know fast. It would be all over the news

The issue with kids is they are spreading it. They have mild to no symptoms, get close to their mates, then their mates pass it on to their families and so on.

Plussizejumpsuit · 23/12/2020 05:12

No

Waxonwaxoff0 · 23/12/2020 05:25

No.

lyinginthegutterstaringatstars · 23/12/2020 05:29

I don't care. Sick and tired of all this shit now. Isn't everybody ?

KatherineJaneway · 23/12/2020 05:34

I think they're still finding out about it. From the PHE map it is clearly the thug big brother of what came before.

Bluntness100 · 23/12/2020 05:51

There is so much we don’t know though, how many of the folks hospitalised have the new strain v the old? What is the demographics of those catching the new strain v old? How virulent is the new strain v the old Ie what’s the rate of serious illness/death? Is anyone dying from it, if so what are their demographics? Did it originate in the Uk or did we just find it first?

Right now we know it’s spreading faster. But that’s it. That’s all we know factually.

There are things we think we know, kids catch it more, the vaccines will likely be still effective, potentially sixty percent of new cases are new strain, it’s not likely more dangerous, it could be less dangerous.

There are so many unknowns. Until they know how virulent it is, if the vaccines will definitely work, it needs to be controlled, because right now no one really knows what we are dealing with.

daisychain01 · 23/12/2020 05:53

@lyinginthegutterstaringatstars

I don't care. Sick and tired of all this shit now. Isn't everybody ?

It's a very well being "sick and tired" of it, and there are a lot of people saying the same thing - but people in general need to realise that it's their behaviour that needs to change.

People need to stop minimising Coronavirus as "no different to getting the flu" and start taking action and personal responsibility. There are many people already being very careful, but equally there are large swathes of the population minimising the severity, going to the pub in a lower tier area, not keeping distance, finding every way they can of flouting the rules so they can "live their life".

That's not how this virus will be brought under control, but people are in denial and want to blame the government because it's more convenient to deflect blame.

daisychain01 · 23/12/2020 06:03

There are so many unknowns. Until they know how virulent it is, if the vaccines will definitely work, it needs to be controlled, because right now no one really knows what we are dealing with.

There will never be a time when we know everything. At a micro level, It's a disease contracted by human to human contact - that's been known all along, there should be no excuse for not taking the right action and changing behaviour and mindset as a society, that time has to be now, not waiting to know about the new strain, we should already have been taking action.

We've been told for months really clear messages about things each person can do to help stop the spread - that didn't stop people flocking in their droves to Oxford Street, shoulder to shoulder no masks or SD, same with many big shopping centres round the UK. They're the same people in denial, who aren't willing to accept the severity until it's too late and either they or their loved ones become ill.

Suzi888 · 23/12/2020 06:10

They don’t know yet. They let everyone out to mingle, why do that if they knew it might mutate and spread faster.
Surely most people are going to end up getting it, in my area it’s gone from knowing hardly anyone with it, couple of weeks later and it’s literally everybody. Some with very mild symptoms, some with none.

OpheliasCrayon · 23/12/2020 06:22

@daisychain01 I'm very sick and tired of it but I don't think there's anything they're not saying. .... But can you tell me what you think will bring it under control? As we've just had lockdown.... That didn't stop it. The tiers before that didn't stop it. The tiers after the lockdown didn't work either so they've just added another tier, which inevitably won't work.... Face coverings don't work - they've not worked all along because we've been using them but then ended up with it spreading and.. Still needed another lockdown.

So what will get it under control.?

Im CEV and have not shielded and I've worked throughout in a very risky environment... The average age of covid death is higher than the average age of death in the uk.

Tell me... What will control this and to what cost to our country, other serious health issues, mental health problems, financial ruin, educational ruin, serious child safeguarding issues.

If you're still coming out with " getting this under control".. I feel it's time for some head wobbling because we clearly can't control it

Skipsurvey · 23/12/2020 06:23

i am really hoping this strain becomes weaker.
it is such a shit life for young people

Skipsurvey · 23/12/2020 06:24

surely you could argue the first lockdown worked?

Cowmilk · 23/12/2020 06:25

The government attempted mass testing in some schools the week before they closed. Dsis secondary school was one off the schools chosen (she was covid negative). I think they got scared by the results and grabbed on to the first available excuse to explain the ‘high transferability’ found in the schools tested. Dm didn’t get told how many pupils tested positive just that a high percentage tested positive and the school had online learning till the end of the week.

I believe the data they gathered then made it impossible for them not to act. They are just exploring possible causes now.

Crakeandoryx · 23/12/2020 06:27

No I don't and we don't need any more fear or panic added into the mix. What they're saying seems logical and many scientists have spoken and said the same.

Frenchdressing · 23/12/2020 06:30

The 71% rise in transmission rate is the key issue here.

MrsMiaWallis · 23/12/2020 06:31

@Baycob

I don’t think it’s as transmissible as they think. I think the surge is due to lack of compliance.

So do I - and perhaps cold symptoms being symptoms of Covid (dd tested positive with what looked like a heavy cold/sneezing - no cough)

Fizbosshoes · 23/12/2020 06:38

The worrying thing is that even if the symptoms are the same if its (up to) 70% more transmissable thats potential for it to spread very quickly (esp if people are socialising at xmas) and end up with lots of people I'll at the same time.

In addition, it seems it’s kids now catching it and spreading it, so they need to vaccinate secondary school age kids to control it. I think the vaccine hasn’t been tested on primary kids so they can’t vaccinate those children

I'm sure all of the vaccines being developed are only licenced or likely to be approved for over 18s. I dont remember it ever being planned to vaccinate school children.....?

OpheliasCrayon · 23/12/2020 06:39

@Skipsurvey

surely you could argue the first lockdown worked?

Did it? Worst death rate in europe. Economic ruin. Other vital screening not happening, mental health issues... Children losing massive chunks of education. Vulnerable children just being lost... And then it all came back again. Nope I wouldn't argue it worked at all. And if it did work, the cost of it was too great

QueenStromba · 23/12/2020 06:42

[quote OpheliasCrayon]@daisychain01 I'm very sick and tired of it but I don't think there's anything they're not saying. .... But can you tell me what you think will bring it under control? As we've just had lockdown.... That didn't stop it. The tiers before that didn't stop it. The tiers after the lockdown didn't work either so they've just added another tier, which inevitably won't work.... Face coverings don't work - they've not worked all along because we've been using them but then ended up with it spreading and.. Still needed another lockdown.

So what will get it under control.?

Im CEV and have not shielded and I've worked throughout in a very risky environment... The average age of covid death is higher than the average age of death in the uk.

Tell me... What will control this and to what cost to our country, other serious health issues, mental health problems, financial ruin, educational ruin, serious child safeguarding issues.

If you're still coming out with " getting this under control".. I feel it's time for some head wobbling because we clearly can't control it[/quote]
The average age of hospitalised patients is a lot lower though and a lot of those people would die if we ran out of beds. Two health boards in Wales are now out of ICU beds. Several London trusts have officially started cancelling operations and outpatients appointments (I know of another that isn't cancelling because they were booking everything at the last minute). The Royal Free are saying they're back at April peak numbers - even if nobody else in London caught covid we'd have another 2-3 weeks of rises.

Graciebobcat · 23/12/2020 06:42

The big panic has been because so many teenagers and young people are catching it and passing it on, which means government policy on schools and universities since September has been utter bollocks.

OpheliasCrayon · 23/12/2020 06:45

@QueenStromba so this situation is tiers/ lockdown working then? Same where I live. Hospitals are full. Routine care is falling by the wayside.

Anyway I'm stepping aside now. I won't win this argument on mn, it isn't allowed to say that lockdowns and tiers and face coverings don't work, or that the collateral damage. So I'll bow out now as I have no will to argue when my opinion is never allowed to be acceptable